


Don't Make It Real

by FredOnTheHead



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Angst, Blow Jobs, Guilt, Hand Jobs, Infidelity, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-20
Updated: 2018-09-20
Packaged: 2019-07-14 22:31:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,935
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16049897
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FredOnTheHead/pseuds/FredOnTheHead
Summary: When their wives and kids are out of town, Rhett and Link have to find a way to keep themselves occupied.





	1. Playing Hooky

All of the kids were off at their various summer camps for the week. Christy and Jessie had taken the opportunity for a girls' weekend, heading to a resort and spa in San Diego, leaving their husbands to fend for themselves and the dogs from Thursday until sometime Sunday. The guys were glad that their wives were getting some much-needed relaxation, but neither man was used to being alone. When the ladies told them about their trip, Rhett and Link knew that they'd have to make a plan for the weekend, as well.

Thursday evening, the men headed to Rhett's house to do a little bit of writing and planning for their upcoming tour stops in Austrailia. Neither was in a hurry to be surrounded by the silence brought on by the absence of their families, truly missing the noise and the chaos when it was gone. They also figured if they got some work done that night, they'd feel less guilty about taking the day off of work on Friday to head out to the desert for a night of camping.

It had been a long couple of weeks of rehearsals and taping, and before long, Link yawned, standing up from the couch and stretching.

"I think it's time for me to head home. I'm tired, and we have to be up early. Jade and I'll be here around 7 to pick you and your lady friend up," he says with a smirk, gesturing toward  the fluffy white dog curled up under the coffee table.

"Shh... Don't tell my wife that I have a bitch on the side," he says with a laugh, leaning down and stroking Barb's head. "See ya' in the morning, brother."

 

Rhett and Barbara were already at the end of the driveway, bags at their feet, by the time Link pulled up. Barbara started whining and wiggling uncontrollably when she saw her best friend's black and tan face in the window.

"You excited, baby?" Rhett asks the pup, scooping her up and kissing her little bubblegum nose before placing her in the backseat with Jade, where they began to jump around, licking and playfully biting one another. He and Link both grinned at the cuteness of it all.

The blonde threw his bag, his guitar case, and a large cooler into the back of the truck, then climbed in next to his own best friend, placing a smaller cooler on the floorboard behind his seat. In sharp contrast to the energetic reunion happening in the backseat, the men gave one another no more than a smile and a nod in greeting, but the sentiment was the same.

The drive into the desert was pleasant and uneventful. The dogs wore themselves out pretty quickly, and were both sound asleep, curled up together, by the time they were out of LA. The men vowed not to talk about work, but they knew that was a vow they'd break. Every aspect of their lives were so intertwined; their job, their families, their hobbies. They began talking about their upcoming trip to Australia. What started out as a conversation about what sort of vacation activities they'd take part in with their wives and kids, eventually turned to the three tour dates they'd booked while they were going to be there. They didn't mind the direction the discussion had taken. It was all tied together, but that's how they liked it. They loved this life they'd spent the past 34 years building together, and they were intensely grateful for everything they had.

An hour or so after leaving the city, Rhett's stomach audibly growled, causing both men to chuckle. He reached into the backseat and grabbed the cooler, unzipping it in his lap and pulled out two thermoses, handing one to Link.

"What's this?"

"Smoothie. I ate breakfast, but I made myself one, knowing that I'd get hungry on the drive up, and I knew you wouldn't want to have to make a stop for food. Figured I'd make you one, too. If ya' don't want it, that's fine. You know I'll drink it."

"Nah, dude. Thanks! I had a bowl of cereal, but I actually didn't have a chance to make my usual smoothie." He takes a long sip, licking his lips. "This is why I've kept ya' around all this time." the brunette says, flashing a toothy grin at Rhett.

Rhett smiled back. "Also brought some bottles of water, a couple of apples and bananas, and some beef jerky."

"Wow. I thought I was the one who was always overly prepared with my pack of random things. It's only a four-hour drive."

"You fill your pack with twenty pairs of glasses. I fill mine with food, because I'm a hungry giant."

 

They arrived at the campground a little after eleven, making sure to find a place that allowed campfire. It just didn't feel like camping without a fire.

The first thing they did was fill a giant bowl with water for Jade and Barbara, then they got to work unloading the truck and setting up camp, letting the girls run around and stretch their legs after the long drive.

After everything was in place, the men each grabbed a beer from the cooler and settled into their camp chairs beneath a tarp they'd fashioned into a lean-to to block the direct sunlight.

"Man, this is the life, huh? Playing hooky on a Friday, just two men and their mutts, out in the wilderness, roughin' it," Link says.

"I wouldn't exactly call what we're doing 'rougin' it'. We've got two fancy handbag dogs, a huge cooler of food, a camp stove, air mattresses, shade, and furniture. We're just one portable air conditioner away from glamping, dude."

"Ah... That's going to be my next investment. Tent a/c. That sounds real nice." Link laughs.

 

The rest of the afternoon flies by, the men just relaxing, snacking, playing with the dogs, cooking some baked beans for lunch on their Coleman, and alternating between bottles of beer and bottles of water for refreshment throughout the day.

 

As the sun began to set, Link started to build a fire, and Rhett supervised, not entirely trusting the half-drunk man with such a dangerous task, but not wanting to argue. The tipsy brunette somehow managed to succeed without falling in or burning himself. Rhett poured some food into a bowl for the dogs, refilling their water, as well, then grabbed a pack of hotdogs out of the cooler and a bag of chips from the animal-proof container Link had the good sense to bring. The guys cooked the hot dogs, ate their dinner, then just sat by the fire watching the flames die down, occasionally throwing on another handful of kindling to keep it going. Once Barb and Jade were done with their dinner, they'd cuddled up with each other near the fire, as well.

After a bit, Rhett grabbed his guitar out of the truck and sat on a log that was set up near the firepit. Link grabbed the cooler, moving it within reach of their seats, pulling out two more beers, then sat down on the ground next to his friend's knees, using the log as a backrest, handing a bottle to Rhett. They spent the next hour or so that way, Rhett playing and singing, Link, shoulder pressed against Rhett's long shin, chiming in with the harmonies. A feeling of nostalgia settled deep in Link's chest, thinking of all the nights spent exactly this way throughout the years, the scene changing from the woods in North Carolina to the desert in California, but the feeling was always the same; just taking comfort in being around his oldest and closest friend, being one half of an entire entity. Maybe that idea should bother him- not fully existing without another person- but it's all he'd ever really known, and he couldn't imagine living any other way.

 

When the notes started getting sloppy, their voices slurring a bit, Rhett placed his guitar back in its case, setting it aside, then slid off the log and laid next to where Link sat, folding an arm behind his head to form a pillow against the wood, stretching out his long legs. Link glanced at him, then mirrored the action. The movement woke up the dogs, who'd been snoozing nearby. Barb came over and climbed onto her owner's chest, nuzzling his beard, and Jade followed suit, running over and settling into the crook of Link's arm. They laid there in silence for a few minutes, brains a little fuzzy from the drinks, admiring the beautiful sky full of stars, a view they never got in Los Angeles.

"Wonder if Christy and Jessie are enjoying themselves as much as we are," Link says, after a while.

A pang of guilt hits Rhett when he realizes he hadn't even thought about his wife for a few hours. _I'm sure that doesn't mean anything. It's not healthy to think about your partner every minute of the day. It's a sign of a strong relationship if your every thought isn't consumed by them._  "No doubt, they're glad to be free of us and the kids for a few days. I'm sure they're having at least as much fun as we are, and I'm even more sure that they smell a helluva lot better than we do right now," he says, sniffing in Link's direction, then waving his hand in front of his nose and moving away from him in mock disgust.

"Shut up, jerk. You're no bed of roses yourself, buddy." the brunette says, elbowing his friend in the ribs.

"I know, dude. I said WE." Rhett chuckled, reaching over to get them each a beer, then scooting back toward his friend, maybe just a bit closer than he was before, their shoulders brushing, his knee resting against Link's calf. "These are the last two," he says as Link grabs a bottle from his hand.

"After these are done, we oughta head to bed. We should probably get a fairly early start heading back home, beat some of the traffic." Link says. Once the bottles were empty, though, the men remained by the fire, not in a rush to go to bed, knowing that once they woke up, the only thing left to do was head back to the real world. So they continued to lay there until the fire was nothing but embers, barely generating any light or heat, sharing stories about past camping adventures- stories both men remembered vividly, and had told hundreds of times, but neither man ever grew tired of reliving them together.

Eventually, sitting up and stretching, Rhett says, "Man, my back is really starting to bother me. I think I need to go into the tent and lay down."

"Alright, old man," Link teases. "We shoulda' gone to sleep a long time ago, anyway. I'll clean up and meet ya' there in a few."


	2. Those Drunken Desert Vibes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rhett's back is really in pain. What kind of friend would Link be if he didn't try to help him out?

Rhett rounds up the dogs and heads toward their larger-than-necessary tent, as Link picks up the beer bottles, puts the guitar back in the truck, then pours some sand into the firepit, mixing it into the embers, making sure to fully extinguish any remaining heat. As he unzipped the tent, he felt something akin to sadness, and he wasn't really sure why.  _Just weird, drunken emotions,_  he reasoned with himself.

Rhett was lying awake, wearing nothing but a pair of black and green striped boxer briefs, when Link entered the tent. Both dogs were cuddled up next to him.

"Hey, bro. Why you stealin' my woman? Get over here, Jade," he says as he sits on his own bed, and the small dog rushes over to his side. Link strips off the shorts and tee shirt he'd been wearing all day and pulls on a pair of gray pajama bottoms over his boxers.  
  
He lies down, closes his eyes, and is nearly asleep when he hears, "Man, lying on the ground for so long was a huge mistake. My back's spasming like crazy!"

Link turns toward Rhett and lets out a sympathetic sound, truly feeling for his friend. He sits up and opens his backpack, pulling out a bottle of pain reliever, grabbing Rhett's hand and shaking a few into it. "Maybe these'll help," he says, passing him a bottle of water.

"Thanks, man."

Link lies back down, pulling Jade close to his chest, and closes his eyes, but it doesn't last long. "Hey, Link?"

The brunette tries to pretend not to hear his friend, wanting to sleep, feeling more than a little drunk.

"Liiiinnnnkkkk.... buddy?" Rhett is whining now, sounding pitiful.

Link lets out a long sigh. "What's up?"

"I'm your best friend, right?"

"Dude, what do you want?"

"You'd do anything for me, right?"

"What... do... you... WANT... Rhett?" There's humor in his voice, but he's a little annoyed.

"Say it. Say I'm your best friend and you'd do anything for me."

"I'm your best friend and you'd do anything for me," comes the snarky remark.

That gets a laugh out of the taller man, "Well, I mean, of course, that's true..."

Link felt a familiar tightness in his chest.  _Why's he always doing that to me? I make a joke, and he replies with something sweet and sincere. Then I just feel like a jerk._  "I was just repeating what you said."

"Linkster... just say it."

"Say what?"

"Tell me that I'm your best friend and you'd do anything for me."

"You're my favorite giant that is in this tent, and I'd do some things for you, within reason, when it's not the middle of the night and I'm fully awake," he jokes.

"Alright, alright. I get it. I'm sorry, dude. I know you're tired. Night," Rhett says, giving up.

Link curls up, intending to go back to sleep, but after a few moments, hears his best friend shifting around. A minute or two later, more shuffling, disturbing Barbara, who gets up and moves over to Link's side, next to Jade.

Link lays there, now cuddling two balls of fur, for a couple of minutes, then starts to feel a bit guilty. Rhett really did seem to be having a hard time getting comfortable.

Link turns toward his friend. "Hey, Rhett... I'm awake. What did you need, brother?"

"I just... I was wondering if you'd just rub the knot in my back for a minute. Just a little. It's twitching like crazy, and I can't fall asleep," he's speaking so quietly that Link can barely understand what he said.

"Rub your back?"

"I mean, if you don't mind. If you don't want to, it's okay. I know it's weird," he says softly.

"Nah man. I will. I know you're really hurtin'. How do you want me to do this?"

Rhett turns away, pointing to a spot right above his tailbone, "Just maybe press into this spot with your knuckles? See if it loosens the knot there."

Link does as he's asked, rubbing the sore spot. Rhett lets out a groan, and a small, uncomfortable giggle escapes Link's lips.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to make that noise. It felt good."

"It's cool, dude. I get it," Link says, working the spot with his thumb.  
  
Rhett continued to make encouraging sounds, so Link kept going. Quickly becoming uncomfortable holding himself up on his elbow, he moved over and kneeled between the tall man's knees, and started using both hands. He moved beyond the spot Rhett initially pointed out, moving farther up his spine, and kneading the tense muscles beneath warm, tanned skin.

Rhett seemed responsive, and Link really did hate seeing his friend in pain. He didn't mind doing this if it was really helping.

After a minute or two, the position was hurting Link's knees, so he moved to the side, pushed Rhett's legs together, and straddled the very top of his friend's thighs.

"How's it feelin', bo?" Link asks quietly, surprising himself by using the childhood nickname.

"It's feelin' better. You can stop if you want. It's a bit more tolerable now."

"Tolerable ain't good enough. I'll keep going if you want. I don't need you tossin' and turnin' all night keeping me and the dogs awake." he says, with a smile in his voice.

"If you really don't mind... I do think it's helpin'."

Link keeps going, moving farther up Rhett's back with his hands, pressing deeper into the muscles.

The longer Link massaged, the more intense Rhett's sounds were getting, occasionally a moan or a whispered exclamation of 'Fuuuuckkkk...' would escape his lips, and Link felt his cock respond ever so slightly each time. He tried not to read too much into his body's weird reaction.

After a minute, Link scooted just a bit further up Rhett's body, sitting right on top of his butt, leaning forward slightly in order to comfortably reach the tall man's shoulders. Link hit a particularly tender spot where Rhett's neck met his shoulder, and the tall man bucked up a bit, pressing his ass right against Link's semi-hard dick, causing it to stiffen even more.  _Holy shit! He didn't do it on purpose. Don't make it weird, Link._  They both froze for a moment, but after a few beats, Link continued rubbing his friend's shoulders. When the brunette reached the same spot on Rhett's shoulder, he bucked up again.  _It's fine, Link. He's just reacting to the massage. You're just helping him relax so you can both go to sleep._

Link moved his hands further down Rhett's back again, then slowly started working his way back up. He'd given up entirely on trying to prevent his body from responding to the obscene noises escaping his friend. He just kept working the tall man's muscles and enjoying the soundtrack the noises provided. Link's mind had wandered to images of his best friend's body; the lightly-freckled skin, the lean muscle, the light blonde hairs leading down from his belly button.

By the time he got back to Rhett's shoulders, Link was barely conscious of what his hands were doing. He once again found the tight knot in Rhett's shoulder, and Rhett's body reacted in the same way it had before, pelvis lifting off the ground, and meeting Link's now-fully-erect cock, and this time, Link pressed back, both men making filthy sounds. Link didn't stop, just slowly, rhythmically continued massaging that spot, and Rhett began pressing back against him with his ass, moving at the pace that his friend was setting, three layers of fabric separating them.

This went on for a few minutes, the massage and, as a result, Rhett's movements, intensifying in pressure and speed. The sounds escaping Rhett's lips were intensifying, as well. Link's breathing was quick and ragged, small whimpers punctuating every few breaths. It was as if he and Rhett were all that existed; this desert, this tent, their bodies, their breath, this moment.

Then it happened. Rhett reached back with his long arm, grabbing Link's lower back and pulling him even closer, as a moan of "MMM...Link..." fell from his mouth. Hearing his own name brought the younger man back to reality.

Link jumped up as if he'd been bitten, scooting back to his side of the tent at record speed, accidentally shoving Jade and Barbara out of the way in the process.

"No... oh God... Wha... what, Rhett...? Fuck fuck... what are we doing?"

The blonde instantly was at Link's side, sitting in front of his friend and placing large hands on his broad shoulders, whispering, "It's okay. Link. It's alright. You were just helping my back feel better. The massage felt good, is all. It's okay, buddy. Really."

Link looks into his best friend's eyes, and wants to believe him, wants to feel okay about this. "But... we... I don't know what was happening. I didn't mean for it to..."

"Link. Nothing was happening. My back was hurting, and you were giving me a back rub. It felt really good to relax my muscles, and my body was responding. I do the same thing when I get a professional massage. The masseuse just isn't usually sitting on me, so it isn't quite as weird." Rhett forces a soft laugh, and can feel the tension in Link's shoulders beginning to ease. "It's fine. Really. REALLY, buddy. Trust me. You trust me, right?" he asks, running his hand through Link's salt and pepper locks, then turning the action into an awkward noogie somewhere near the crown of Link's head.

Link takes a deep, shaky breath. "Yeah. I trust you. Of course, I trust you. We're okay? It's okay?"

"C'mon, dude. We've done weirder things together. UFC phase in college? The 'I'm dead' move? It's all par for the course in this friendship. Don't sweat it, brother."

Link gives Rhett a shaky smile, "I guess you're right," he says with a quiet laugh, but not looking or sounding convinced.

"Man, my back's feelin' real good right now. I think I could definitely fall asleep. Thanks, Link."

Link settled onto his mattress with a yawn, pulling his blanket over himself, as Rhett moved back onto his own bed. "Okay. I'm... I'm glad you're feeling better. G'night, Rhett."

"Night, Linkster."

_Jesus, that was not okay. How the hell did we let that happen? We're married, straight men._

_I mean, nothing really happened, right? We were both clothed. There was no inappropriate skin-to-skin contact. It was just a weird thing that we can chalk up to drunken awkwardness. No need to ever bring it back up. Hopefully, Rhett feels the same._

_My body was just responding to the contact, the noises. It had nothing to do with him,_  Link thought to himself. But, as he tried to fall asleep, his mind kept returning to the backrub, his hands touching the long, smooth back, his dick pressed against his friend's tight ass, his best friend's scent- a mix of campfire smoke and beer and Rhett- and he noticed how hard he still was.  _Fuck..._  He fell into a fitful, dreamless sleep.

On the other side of the tent, Rhett's brain was going a mile a minute.  _What the hell were we doing? That was definitely less okay than I was making it out to be. We may have crossed a line we can't come back from._

_No, we were drunk. Nothing really happened. We both have wives who we adore. It's fine. Not even worth mentioning again._

When Rhett fell asleep, he only dreamed of Jessie.

 

The next morning, Link woke to the sun peering through the window of the tent. He groaned, turning away from it, and put his pillow over his face, realizing that his head was pounding.

He heard Rhett stirring next to him, letting out a grunt.

"Water... need water," Rhett was mumbling to himself, digging around the tent trying to find a bottle.

After a minute, Link uncovered one eye, and peered at his friend. "You feelin' as shitty as I am?"

"Oh, yeah. I think we drank too much. Here, drink this," he says, handing over the water.

"Grab the bottle of ibuprofen out of my bag, will ya'?" Link says, covering his eyes once again.

He hears rustling, the sound of pills being shaken, hears Rhett taking a drink of his water, presumably to swallow some of the medicine, then he places some pills into Link's hand.

"Thanks," he says, sitting up and swallowing the pain reliever with a big swig of water, never opening his eyes, then lying back down.

"Hey, bud. I know you're not feeling great, but it's after 8, and we have to be out of the campsite by nine."

"I cleaned everything up last night. We just gotta grab our stuff and go. Give me five minutes."

Rhett knew there was still a lot to do. He felt pretty crappy himself, but he knew Link was a little shaken up before he went to bed so, he let the man go back to sleep, and he got dressed and exited the tent, bringing Barb and Jade with him.

He disassembled the lean-to, packing it into its canvas storage bag. Then he folded up the chairs and threw those, along with the cooler and food container into the truck. He picked up the dogs' food bowl, leaving the water bowl there until the last minute. Then he re-entered the tent to pack up all of their things. He tried to be as quiet as he could, stuffing all of his clothes into his own bag, then carefully picking up and folding Link's stuff, placing it neatly into his backpack, knowing if he shoved them in as he'd done his own, Link would hate it. Link didn't seem to have woken up at all in this process, but Rhett knew that wouldn't last long.

"Sorry, Link," Rhett whispered, as he attached the air pump to his mattress in order to deflate it.

The moment he turned it on, Link sat up, startled by the noise.  
  
"Shit. I was really asleep," he says, as he grabbed his glasses and looked around the tent. "Wow. You got everything packed. I'll go load the stuff outside into the truck."

"Already done. The mattresses are the last thing."

"Oh, sorry, brother. I meant to help you."

"It's alright. You seemed to need the rest."

"Thanks, Rhett," he says, giving the tall man's shoulder a squeeze, flashing his toothy grin, then grabbing the pump from Rhett and letting the air out of his bed, as Rhett rolled his own into a bundle.

 

Once the tent was down and packed away, the men put the dogs into the car, Rhett scooping up the water bowl on the way out, and they hit the road.  
The ride home was pretty normal. Rhett drove, Link not feeling up for it. The atmosphere was more subdued than on many of their road trips, but only due to the hangovers. The conversation flowed easily. Link seemed to have moved past the awkwardness from the night before, didn't seem to need to discuss it. Rhett was incredibly relieved. If Link didn't feel weird about what happened, then Rhett didn't have any reason to, either.

 

By the time they got back, a little after one o'clock, they both felt better, each drinking as much water as they could stomach on the way home. But all either of them wanted was a shower and a nap. Rhett helped Link unload all of his things, then he drove their shared FJ Cruiser to his house.

 

Rhett took all of his stuff out of the truck, ate a sandwich, took a hot shower, chugged some more water, for good measure, then took a nap. He woke up around four, and turned on the tv. He sat there for awhile watching ESPN, not really paying much attention, flipping through various social media on his phone. After a bit, his phone vibrated in his hand. A text from Link.

 **Hey man.** **How ya' feeling?**

  
                                                                                                                                          **Slept for a bit, now I'm good as new.**

  
**Yeah. A nap was all I needed too.**  
**It's really quiet. Too quiet.**

  
**You think? I'm kinda enjoying the solitude.**

 

**Oh really? I was going to ask if you wanted to come over and hang out for a bit.**

 

  
**Sure. I'm actually pretty bored.**

  
**Thought you were 'enjoying the solitude'.**

  
**I was. But I've had enough of it.**

  
**Fair enough. Come over whenever.**

  
**Alright, I'll bring some dinner. See ya' soon.**


	3. Not Real

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The guys' last night alone without their wives. They're just drinking and hanging out at Link's house. How much trouble can they really get in?

Rhett and Barb got to Link's around six-thirty, the tall man carrying a bucket of grocery store deli wings. Barbara ran through the house in search of Jade.

"Mmm. Chicken. Smells good! Why don't you try to find something to watch on Netflix. I'll be right back."

The brunette emerged a minute later with a roll of paper towels, and a couple of bottles. They'd recently done a collaboration with Dogfish Head, and Sam Calagione had gifted them an assortment of beers as a thank you. Link handed Rhett one with a green label, adorned with coconuts- Lupa Luau, it was called- saying, "You drink this one, dude. I hate coconut."

"You sure you're up for drinkin'? You were feelin' pretty rough this morning."

"Yeah. I feel fine. It's Saturday night, and there's no kids or wives. What better time to have a couple beers?"

"Good point, I suppose. What've you got there?" Rhett asks, turning the bottle in Link's hand so he could read the purple and maize label. "Midas Touch, huh?"

"You know it. Because everything I touch turns to GOLD, baby!" Link says, wiggling his hips and booping Rhett on the nose.

The blonde reached up and rubbed the spot Link had just tapped. "Feels like skin and cartilage to me, brother. Guess ya' ain't got magic hands, after all."

 "I probably just have to sip my drink first for it to work." Link replied with a chuckle, sitting in the middle of the couch, close enough that his knee bumped Rhett's once he settled in. "You weren't complaining about my hands last night."

As soon as he said it, he regretted it. "Shit. Sorry."

Rhett's mouth dropped open, and he stared at his friend for a few moments, before he asked, "Link. Do we need to talk about it?"

"Nah. I was just kidding. You know I don't think before I speak. Nothin' to talk about. What did you decide to watch?"

Rhett squinted at his friend for a few seconds, trying to figure out if he needed to say more. He decided to just let it slide and move on. "I figured we'd just put on something we've already seen, maybe 'The Office' or 'Always Sunny'. I don't feel like having to concentrate too hard. I just kind of want to zone out and eat some chicken. 

 "Sounds great to me. Let's go with 'Always Sunny'. Seems appropriate, since we're drinkin' and eatin' bar food."

 Rhett presses play on a random episode, and the guys dig in.

 

 Rhett is stretched out on the couch, surveying the scene around himself.

 Link is on the floor, facing the blonde, his head propped up on a fluffy decorative pillow he'd snatched off the nearby armchair. Rhett doesn't remember when Link'd moved off the couch, but there he was, knees tucked up into his chest. Rhett was always amazed at how bendy his best friend was. He, himself, couldn't imagine being comfortable on the hardwood floor, let alone curled into a ball like that, especially after being in such pain the night before.

 Barbara and Jade were wrapped up in one another across the room on Jade's bed, fast asleep, having worn themselves out running around the backyard, excited about being together again.

 The coffee table was littered with napkins and bottles, the bucket sitting on the floor, only a few wings remaining. It occurred to the taller man that his friend must have been pretty tipsy. Normally, Link would have cleaned up the moment they'd finished their meal. 

 Link's eyes were open, but they were staring into space somewhere above Rhett's head, and neither man had spoken in a few minutes, just content in the company of one another. 

 "You gettin' sleepy, Linkster? Maybe Barb and I should head home," Rhett says, stretching out his mile-long leg to jostle Link's knee with his foot.

 "Nah, dude. I'm awake. Just daydreamin'. Besides, you've had quite a lot to drink. Maybe you should wait a bit. It ain't that late yet. If you want, you're welcome to crash in my guest room."

 "Eh. I'll probably be good to go home in an hour or so. Thanks, though."

 "Want to go in the hot tub? I can turn it on, I'll loan ya' some trunks, and by time we get dressed, it should be nice and warm."

"Actually, I've got a pair in my car. I'll go grab them."

 

 Rhett got into the jacuzzi first. Link was attempting to light the fire pit. _W_ _hy does he insist on playing with flames every time he's been drinking?_ Rhett made sure to keep a close eye on his friend until he'd successfully made fire and climbed into the tub without incident, sitting at a ninety-degree angle from Rhett. 

They'd each grabbed one last beer on their way out the door, knowing they'd already probably had too much, but neither man was in a particular hurry for the night to end, knowing that all that waited for them were the silent rooms of their houses.

A few minutes and half a beer later, Rhett noticed his head was a lot fuzzier than it was on the couch.

"Hey, Link... you drunk? I think being in the hot tub is intensifying my buzz."

Link slips off his glasses which had fogged up entirely from the steam, placing them on the edge of the tub. "Yeah, man. I'm feelin' it, too. I've only taken one sip, but I think this will definitely be my last one.

"Me, too. Gotta go home, eventually," Rhett says.

They sat for a while, finishing their drinks, talking about whatever they could think to talk about.

At some point, the bearded man let out a groan, closing his eyes and letting his head fall back, sliding forward a bit and bumping Link's ankle with the toes of his left foot. Link slid his foot on top of Rhett's and rubbed it up and down a few times, with a quiet giggle.

The blonde chuckled, not even raising his head, "What are you doin', man?"

"Just messin' with ya'," he said, no longer moving his foot, but leaving it on top of Rhett's.

After a minute or two, Rhett lifts his right leg and rests it across Link's lap. "Just needed to stretch out a bit, and your lanky legs are in my way," he says with a smirk.

Link smiles. "Whatever dude," he says, plopping his forearms down on his friend's hairy shin.  
  
The next few minutes were spent in comfortable silence, both men had their eyes closed, just letting the hot water and the jets ease the stress of the last couple of weeks.

At some point, Link had started to slowly rub his left hand up and down Rhett's leg, alternating between lightly running his nails across his shin and rubbing at the muscles of his calf. Rhett noticed, but he couldn't tell if Link even realized he was doing it, and his legs were really sore from all the Tour of Mythicality rehearsals earlier in the week, so he didn't stop his friend.

Suddenly, they were roused from their daze by Jade and Barb scratching at the patio door to be let out into the backyard.  
  
Link opened his eyes and glanced at the door, then down at his hand on Rhett's leg. "Oh... sorry. I was just fidgeting."

"It's alright. Felt nice. Rehearsals did a number on my whole body," the blonde man says, as he climbed out of the tub to open the door for the girls.

Link stood up, too, "Maybe it's time to get out. My hands are pruney," he says, showing his palms to Rhett, then grabbing his glasses and wiping at the fog with his fingertips before sliding them back on.

Rhett watched the dogs run around for a few minutes, while Link put out the fire and turned off the tub.  
  
When he was done, Link called to the dogs, and they all went inside.

"You heading out, or you feel like hanging out a bit?"

"I'm not tired. If you ain't ready to kick us out, I'll stay a little longer."

Rhett changed in the guest bathroom, then realizing the steam had made his hair curl up and frizz a bit, he lingered for a few minutes, primping in the mirror. He left the restroom and started heading down the hall toward the living room.

"Hey, Rhett," came Link's voice from the guest bedroom. "I'm in here."

Rhett sees Link sitting on the neatly made bed, leaning against the headboard, wearing a grey t-shirt and NC State Wolfpack plaid pajama pants.

"Whatcha doin'?"

"Just figured it'd be more comfortable than the couch."

"Alright," Rhett says, flopping down on the grey comforter next to his friend.

Link turned on the tv, flipping channels until he came across a show about deadly animals, and figured that was good mindless entertainment. The men watched with mild interest for a little while.

After a few minutes, Link asks, "Um... you want me to rub your legs again? You uh, you said they were sore."

"Eh... Nah, man. I'm fine."

"I know, but your back feels better today, right?" Rhett is, once again, surprised that Link is bringing it up. "Just thought I could help you out."

 _What is he thinking?_  Rhett wonders. "Okay, sure, I guess."

Link moves to the other end of the bed, sitting cross-legged next to the tall man's feet.

He starts massaging in earnest this time, starting at his soles, then working his way up the calves. Rhett has to admit it feels really good, despite the legs of his green joggers being between his skin and Link's hands.

Rhett is biting his lip, trying not to make any noise. He wasn't about to have a repeat of last night, and have Link, and himself, if he's honest, freaking out again.

The brunette glances at his friend's face and realizes what he's doing. "Just relax, buddy roll. If it feels good and you need to make noise, go ahead. I want you to enjoy this," he says quietly, his voice a bit lower than normal.

"Um... Okay."  _What is happening?_

Link starts over at Rhett's feet. Rhett lets out a noise, and Link smirks and keeps going, moving up Rhett's long calves. Rhett closes his eyes and lets himself be in the moment, enjoying the feeling, groaning and making soft noises of pleasure.

At some point, Rhett realizes he's gotten hard.  _That's normal. It feels really good._   _My drunken brain is just detecting pleasure and misdirecting it to my dick._  He knows he probably should just end this, tell Link to stop, but it feels nice. So, he lets him continue.

A minute or two later, Link sits up on his knees, and puts his legs on either side of Rhett's, slowly scooting up his body, and straddled the blonde right below the knees. Rhett opened his eyes. Link had a look in his blue eyes like he may get up and bolt at any second.

"What are you doing, Link?" Rhett asked, speaking softly, trying not to alarm his friend.

"Feel good, bo?" he asks, huskily.

"Yeah. Thanks." Rhett says, unsure of what Link's next move was going to be.

"Could only reach your calves from there. I'm sure your other muscles are sore, too." Link's voice is shaking slightly.

 _This is getting really strange. Shit._  "Yeah," Rhett's voice cracks, "Yeah, a bit," he repeats, leaning his head back and closing his eyes again.

"Thought so." Link places his hands right above the larger man's knees, then starts to massage deeply, slowly moving up until he gets to mid-thigh, slides his fingertips back down, then starts massaging again. When he'd reached the same spot, he moves his hands to Rhett's hips, pressing into them and leaving them there until Rhett opens his eyes.

"You, uh, ya' done, brother?" Rhett asks.

Link's pupils were blown, leaving only a sliver of blue along the outer edge. He slowly shakes his head. Link leaned off the side of the bed, taking off his glasses and setting them on the bedside table. Suddenly, he lunges forward, pressing his mouth against Rhett's.

Rhett freezes for a moment, then some desperate need from deep within him takes over, and he's kissing him back, one hand tangled in those silver and chestnut locks, the other on his lower back.

After a minute, Link leans back and rips off his shirt, then grabs at the hem of Rhett's shirt, until the blonde leans forward and Link tears his off, as well, then he dives back in, sucking and nipping at his neck, and down his chest.

After a minute, Link jumps off the bed, shoves his pajamas and his boxers down in one swift motion, falling back onto the bed as his legs become tangled in the fabric, causing a nervous laugh to escape from Rhett, whose mouth was hanging open, eyes wide.

Once Link is free of his clothing a moment later, he grabs Rhett by the ankles, and yanks his whole body down the bed, so he's lying with his head on the pillow.  
  
"Link, what are you doing, brother?"

Link glances up at him, his look almost predatory, "You sayin' you want me to stop?"

"N...no... I... Don't stop..."  _Oh my God, bad idea. BAD idea! Fuck..._

Link pulls at the drawstring on Rhett's joggers, untying them, then pulls them down his impossibly long legs, realizing his friend hadn't bothered to put on any underwear when he'd gotten dressed.

The moment Rhett's pants hit the floor, Link is back on top of him, straddling his hips this time, diving toward him, mouths colliding, grinding against one another.

Everything that is happening seems urgent, rough, frantic. All hands and mouths and muscles and sounds. Nothing about this was sweet or careful. This was pure need, lust.

Suddenly, Link slides down the long body, until he's face-level with his best friend's impressive, leaking erection.

He grabs the thick cock in his hand and leans forward, enveloping the tip with his mouth.

"Fuck, Link," Rhett moans, laying a hand on the back of the brunette's head.

Link glances up, "Please... don't..." Rhett isn't sure what he's asking.

Link starts to move his mouth, and within half a minute, Rhett was bumping the back of this throat.

"Holy shit, bo," Rhett's eyes are wide with amazement.

Link glances up with pleading eyes, and shakes his head slightly at Rhett. "Don't." _Don't what, Link?_  Rhett's green eyes ask.

Link keeps lapping and sucking at his friend's cock, bobbing up and down, letting the large hand on the back of his head guide him, the movements hurried and electric, the grip in his hair painful.

Rhett was lost in the sensations, the feeling of his best friend's mouth wrapped around him. Then he felt something warm and wet drip onto his hip. He looked down at the brunette and saw tears streaming down his face.

"Oh, God, Link. Are you okay?" he asks in a panic, immediately removing his hand from his scalp.

Link slides his mouth off of his friend, looks up into those celadon eyes, and slowly shakes his head, then nods, more tears dripping onto Rhett's thighs. "I'm.... alright. Please just... don't say my name, don't call me nicknames. Just... don't. That makes it real. This can't be real. We'd never do this... we'd never... to them... This isn't real," he says, with a sob.

This hits Rhett like a medicine ball to the chest.  _This is so fucked up. I love Jessie. I love my family._   He knows he should stop this. This isn't who they were. They weren't cheaters. They weren't the type of men to ruin their lives just to chase a little bit of pleasure. Also, they were straight...

"Al... alright... Okay. Not real," his breath hitches, voice shaking, as a tear slides down his own cheek, and he twines his fingers back into that thick head of hair, as his best friend wraps his beautiful mouth back around his cock.

The air was filled with moans and heavy breathing, mixed with sobs and hiccups and sniffles, both men overwhelmed by raw emotions. Neither man worried about how messy it got, saliva and tears and snot, they were in this ugly, beautiful dream world together.

Rhett tried to empty his head of all thoughts other than this man, and the sensations he was experiencing:

Full lips, soft tongue, cheeks hollowed, swallowing him whole.

_Oh, God. Fucking amazing. He's as good as Jes..._

_No... fuck... no. Don't think about her. This isn't real. Not real._

He shakes his head, as if he can erase his thoughts like an Etch-A-Sketch, and he sets his focus back on the man between his thighs.

Sounds- a moan, sniffles, a gulp, a soft whine- a beautiful, haunting symphony.

Rhett lets out a quiet sob, then looks down at his lifelong friend, anguish painted across his face.

_My Link. I'd do anything to take away that pain._

_Jesus, this is so fuckin' good. I'm so close._

"C'mere," Rhett says huskily, placing his hands under Link's armpits and pulls him toward himself. Link obediently releases Rhett from his mouth, and slides up his body.

Link was trying to fully disconnect his brain from his body. This was primal, skin and sound and nothing else. He was usually so good at compartmentalizing, but no matter how hard he tried, he was overwhelmed with emotion.

Rhett's embracing him, rubbing his back, kissing his hair, whispering comforting words.

 _Shit, shit, shit. This is too much..._  Link presses his palms against the mattress, shoving himself up and out of Rhett's grip, straddling his thighs, a fresh batch of tears running down his cheeks.

The brunette crudely spits into his palm, and grabs the blonde's cock and starts pumping his fist in short, fast strokes, eyes scrunched tight, not thinking, just acting.

Rhett's gripping his wrist, stopping him, saying something... Link opens his eyes and focuses on the large man beneath him.

"...gonna last if you keep doing that. Let me do something for you." Link hears the end of the statement.

He's being flipped onto his back, hands and mouth are all over him; his neck, his chest, down his ribs. Hands on his hips, gripping tightly, a warm wetness around the head of his cock.

_It's just flesh and bones and carnal need._

Wetness, tightness moving farther down his shaft, a gag. Rhett pulls off, coughing, wiping the back of his hand across his lips.

"I can't... you're too thick... tiny mouth."

"S'ok. Just touch me," Link says, reaching toward Rhett's large hand.

"Wait... um... flip over."

"Wha... What?" Link's blue eyes were as wide as saucers.

"Not that... I'm not... just, turn over," he says, shoving at his friend's hip, trying to push him over.

Link does as he's told. Rhett climbs on top of him and sits on Link's ass. He leans forward and places his lips against his friend's temple, then kisses gently behind his ear, down his neck, caresses the lean man's back with his large hands. This goes on for a minute or two, then Rhett leans down to Link's ear and whispers 'Jesus, you're beautiful."

He's caught completely off guard when a sharp elbow hits him in the ribcage, and Link yells, "Fuck! Stop it!" shoving Rhett off of his back, a sob punctuating the exclamation.

"What, Link? Stop what?" Rhett asks, now awkwardly kneeling next to Link on the mattress.

"First of all, I told you not to fucking say my name!" he says sharply. Then, his voice softening, "But... stop being sweet to me. Just... don't do that. I can't handle that."  _I don't deserve it._ _I'm the worst type of person._   _I'm a terrible husband for doing this, wanting this, needing this._   _I'm a horrible friend for dragging you down with me._

Rhett feels like he's being stabbed in the heart, but he understands. "Okay, okay. I'm sorry. I won't."  _If he doesn't want me to be soft with him, I'll just have to find another way to make him feel good._

"Can I..." Rhett starts, as he slowly moves to straddle Link's hips again.

Link nods.

The moment Link's body relaxes underneath him, Rhett dives forward, kissing his neck hungrily, then moves across his shoulders, his back, nipping and kissing all the way down. When he reaches Link's coccyx, he sucks and bites at it for a minute, never realizing how sexy that particular body part could be, enjoying having the bottom of his face buried in the top of his friend's crack.

"Beard tickles," Link mumbles, wiggling his hips a bit from the sensation.

Rhett laughs, just burying his chin deeper, and messily licking at his friend's tailbone.

Rhett starts to move lower, licking and kissing, but when he gets close to his destination, Link clenches his cheeks. "No, don't. I'm not ready for... uh... Just don't do that," Link gets out, voice shaking, sounding a bit panicked.

"Ok. It's okay." Rhett pats Link's ass, then starts kissing his way back up, a little gentler on the ascent than he was on the way down, wanting to soothe Link, but not wanting to upset him again, rubbing his hands slowly along his friend's sides on the way up.

He slowly settles on top of Link, lying across the entire length of him, leaning onto his forearms so as not to put all of his weight on him. He lightly kisses behind the brunette's ear, then down his neck. Link lifts his ass slightly, pressing against Rhett's cock. Rhett presses back, moving up and down slowly. Link relaxes, and Rhett feels his own cock slide in between his friend's cheeks.

"This alright?" Rhett asks, just to make sure.

"Yeah," Link barely breathes out.

Rhett begins to slide back and forth, his dick slick with pre-cum, Link clenching his cheeks, wet with Rhett's saliva, trapping his friend's cock in between them. It didn't take long for both men to be nearing ecstasy.

Rhett grabs Link by the hips and hauls him up onto his knees.

He wraps his arm around his friend's waist, grips his cock, and starts pumping his with his fist, his other hand gripping his broad shoulder, while still sliding up and down Link's asscrack, moving quickly, having lost all rhythm.

It wasn't long before Rhett felt Link tense up, and he hears "Oh, god... Rhett, I'm almost there. Oh, oh God, I love you..." Rhett paints his friend's back with cum the moment he feels Link release all over his hand and the comforter, both of them collapsing onto the bed, Rhett on top of Link.

"Love you, too, Link."

Before Rhett even registered what happened, Link is shoving the tall man off of himself, and rolling toward the other side of the bed. He curls up into a ball, and his body starts convulsing with sobs.

"Oh my God... are you okay? I'm so sorry..." He has no idea why he's apologizing, he just doesn't know what else to do, what else to say. He lays behind Link and wraps his arm across his tiny waist.

"Move back! Move back! Don't touch me!" Link is in a full-fledged panic.

Rhett takes his arm off of his friend, but doesn't move too far away, not wanting to make it worse, but wanting Link to feel his presence. "Please tell me what's wrong. Let me help you." Rhett says quietly, tears flowing down his cheeks.

"Leave me alone!"

"Okay. I'll be right here. I ain't goin' anywhere." Rhett laid his head on a pillow and just watched his best friend suffer alone, his own heart breaking into a million pieces.

After a while, Link quieted down, his breathing returning to normal. Rhett thought he'd fallen asleep until he heard a quiet, "Rhett?"

"Yeah, buddy?" Rhett responds, placing a hesitant hand on his friend's shoulder. Link leaned into the touch.

"I'm so sorry, Rhett. I'm so sorry."

"Why are you sorry, bo?" he asks quietly.

"I... I ruined everything. I fucked it all up. I shouldn't have pulled you into this. Everything was perfect, and I fucked it up."

"Link, turn around. Look at me."

Link slowly turns over and faces his friend. The blonde takes the man's face into his hands, looks into his cornflower eyes. "You didn't do this alone, Link. I was here, and I let it happen, too."

"Yeah... but... I started it, and I said... what I said. I shouldn't have done that. That made it real."

"Buddy roll, it was real all along." At that, Link looked like he'd been punched. "I said it back. And I meant it. Take it however you want, but it's true. Always has been, always will be, Link."

"I meant it, too." Link says with a sob.

"I know, brother. Also, I still think you're beautiful, even with boogers on your face." Rhett places a soft kiss on the tip of his friend's nose, then wipes his large hands over Link's cheeks.

"Rhett... I do love you. With every bit of myself. You're the other half of my soul. I've always known that. But... I'm in love with Christy. You may be my soul, but she's my heart. Ya' know?"

"Of course I know. I feel the same about Jessie."

Link scoots closer to his giant friend, wrapping his arm and leg around him, tucking himself into his chest. "What do we do now?"

"Well, Linkster, we go to sleep. When we wake up in the morning, we clean up, and Barb and I go home. We wait for our wives to come back, and we go back to normal. This weekend might've been real, but it ain't reality. Once we leave this room, we pretend this didn't happen."

"Okay." Link says, a little sadly. They fell asleep in one another's arms, their shared soul a little battered and bruised, but hopefully, they'd be able to recover.

 


End file.
